Mitsubishi Triton-based Honda bakkie becoming a reality in 2028
The first ladder-frame Honda bakkie is expected to not only use the Triton's platform, but also its 2.4 litre turbodiesel engine.
Honda has entered into a partnership with Mitsubishi for the production of a body-on-frame bakkie, or pickup truck, set to debut in 2028. The new vehicle will be manufactured in Thailand, making it Honda's first bakkie outside the United States. This collaboration follows Honda's long history of producing the Ridgeline in North America since 2005.
The Mitsubishi Triton will serve as the base for the new Honda bakkie, providing a body-on-frame platform for the first time. Additionally, the partnership will introduce right-hand drive for the vehicle. Honda will be the second brand to utilize the Triton, following Nissan's Australasia-market only D27 Navara, which debuted last year.
According to Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun, the production model will be exported beyond Southeast Asia after its debut. As a result, the Triton will have spawned a second badge-engineered model, similar to the D27 Nissan Navara, which is sold exclusively in Australasia.
The still-unnamed Honda bakkie is expected to share the same mechanicals as its sibling, with a brand-specific design. It will employ the Triton's 4N16 2.4-litre turbodiesel engine, either in single or bi-turbo forms. This engine is a first for Honda since discontinuing its 1.6 and 2.2-litre turbodiesels in its Civic, Accord, and CR-V over a decade ago.
Further details about the Honda bakkie will emerge in 2027, with the vehicle set to become a reality in 2028. Honda is also developing a third-generation Ridgeline for introduction in the same year, following its current second-generation model on sale since 2017.
Written by urgent.news from The Citizen's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
